Snapped glow plug

[Lazy-Ferret]

Over the last week or so, I have noticed that the car was very lumpy when starting in the cold mornings... Time to have a look at the glow plugs... Had a look on here at the tutorial, and was impressed that it looked fairly easy..

So first thing this morning, off came the inter-cooler... hmmm, just noticed that the 4 bolts that hold on the aluminium cover on to the top are not all the same.., 3 x 8mm, 1 x 10mm... not a problem, at least they are still all the same thread, but someone has been under here before.

Next notice that the foam gasket is missing on all but 1 side of the bottom ot the cover.. Ok, I can sort that.

Go to remove the 4 main nuts and bolts, the rear one is turning the stud, rather than undoing. Get it off, and managed to get the stud out of the inter-cooler, and sort that lot out...

Now to the glow plugs... wow, the front one I can now see is all shiny and new looking.. Result... weird though... bus-bar only has 3 nuts... well two rubberised slotted brass nut things, and an 8mm thin nut... but where the number the number 3 fixing should be, nothing...

Take the Bus-bar off, and see very rusty hole where the number 3 glow plug should be...



Anyone any ideas on what I do? The engine has done 90K, and pushes a fair amount of oil out the crankcase breather, so definitely has some issues... but other than burning oil, it actually runs pretty nice.

Now looking at how badly the plug is snapped off, flat with the head, but it does still seem to be blocking the hole at the bottom, I am guessing the head will have to come off to fix that... so, my real question is, do I put up with the lumpy starting until I can afford to put a replacement lump under the bonnet, or do I take the head off, and while getting the glow plug sorted, see if there is anything else obviously wrong, that maybe won't require a new lump to sort out the pressurised crank case issue. This is our only car, so I can't have it sitting around for days while I sort it out, I need to make a decision and get on with it, and just taking the head off, is an expensive pastime, by the time you have got the gasket set etc, so I might just be better using that money on a replacement lump from the start...Anyone have any ideas.

 

[makeitfit]

Initially I'd be thoroughly cleaning the area big time. Then see if there's any metal body remaining on the g/p
If there is then a stud extrator may be of help or similar device that'll grip the remains.
The engine should fire up ok with 3 good glow plugs mind.
As for oil blow back I'd not worry too much about that. It's probably the oil seperator filter thing that's bunged up. It should deal with crankcase oiled gases and return them to the sump. You can take it off asnd clean it and even put the crank bresther pipe into an oil caztch can and save putting oil back into the intercooler. Have you looked in the intercooler ? I bet it's really oilly.

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

Thanks for the reply... looks like whoever broke it, had a go with an extractor, as it has been drilled , but it looks almost like it is part of the head, rather than something screwed in. I decided not to touch it too much, as the car is running, and if I disturb it, I might end up in a worse way.

It does start on the 3, just runs a but lumpy for the first 10 to 20 seconds, and if you touch the throttle, it dies, and you have to re-start it, but then it starts much better. I checked all the remaining glowplugs with a meter, and those 3 are reading about 1 ohm, not to mention nice and shiny, so I guess changed not long before I got it.

Oil wise, I had a look at the separator when I first got the car, and it is nice and clean. Ironically, so much oil is going through the breather cct, it is all clear, and apart from a bit of runny oil in the pipes etc, there is no signs of the usual nasty gunk that normally builds up in the breather system. I took the feed to the Turbo off, blocked it where it goes into the turbo, and fitted a breather filter to the output, but that just resulted in a very oily engine bay, and oil dripping all over the drive, so I had to put it back as was.

The inter cooler again, was clear, just some oil residue. A quick spray with some degreaser, and a flush through with the hose had the inside all shiny again. I was expecting there to be some of that thick greasy yuck built up in there, but nothing.

 

[cncfabs]

Over the last week or so, I have noticed that the car was very lumpy when starting in the cold mornings... Time to have a look at the glow plugs... Had a look on here at the tutorial, and was impressed that it looked fairly easy..

So first thing this morning, off came the inter-cooler... hmmm, just noticed that the 4 bolts that hold on the aluminium cover on to the top are not all the same.., 3 x 8mm, 1 x 10mm... not a problem, at least they are still all the same thread, but someone has been under here before.

Next notice that the foam gasket is missing on all but 1 side of the bottom ot the cover.. Ok, I can sort that.

Go to remove the 4 main nuts and bolts, the rear one is turning the stud, rather than undoing. Get it off, and managed to get the stud out of the inter-cooler, and sort that lot out...

Now to the glow plugs... wow, the front one I can now see is all shiny and new looking.. Result... weird though... bus-bar only has 3 nuts... well two rubberised slotted brass nut things, and an 8mm thin nut... but where the number the number 3 fixing should be, nothing...

Take the Bus-bar off, and see very rusty hole where the number 3 glow plug should be...



Anyone any ideas on what I do? The engine has done 90K, and pushes a fair amount of oil out the crankcase breather, so definitely has some issues... but other than burning oil, it actually runs pretty nice.

Now looking at how badly the plug is snapped off, flat with the head, but it does still seem to be blocking the hole at the bottom, I am guessing the head will have to come off to fix that... so, my real question is, do I put up with the lumpy starting until I can afford to put a replacement lump under the bonnet, or do I take the head off, and while getting the glow plug sorted, see if there is anything else obviously wrong, that maybe won't require a new lump to sort out the pressurised crank case issue. This is our only car, so I can't have it sitting around for days while I sort it out, I need to make a decision and get on with it, and just taking the head off, is an expensive pastime, by the time you have got the gasket set etc, so I might just be better using that money on a replacement lump from the start...Anyone have any ideas.

If the bit of the glow plug left in is metal i would weld a nut onto it to unscrew it.I cant see removing the head will help much.you could drill and use stud extractor just dont drill right through .the bolts on the intercooler are ment to be different sizes or at least they were on the one i took off yesterday

 

[stinka]

Yes, weld a nut on or drill in a bit and knock in an easy out

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

Not sure that is do-able... and definitely not do-able by me, as my welding skills or equipment (welding:augie) are not that good.

It is snapped flush with the head, nothing sticking up above it at all, and whoever drilled it out, it looks like they went out almost to the thread, as the ones that are in there, look not much bigger than the hole. I poked a piece of wire down it, and I think they have drilled in about 15 to 20mm.

 

[solarman216]

think you are best of leaving well alone, as long as the three remaining plugs are working and wired, to try and drill it out bearing mind it was that tight that it sheared in the first place, chances of removing it and saving the threads and more importantly the seat are slim, and if damaged then a none runner, also you will need to remove the head as bits will fall inside, Rick

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

Yeah, that was my thinking in the end... We will try to save up the funds to have a proper look at the engine in the new year, maybe get a second hand one off of Ebay and put a complete lump in.

Looked on Google, and there are various ways people talk about getting them out, but most involve getting a Helicoil inserted after, and using magnets to try and get all the bits of metal out... seems a bit hit and miss to me.

 

[stinka]

Just get a head off eBay and have it skimmed and tested

Gotta be less of a maul And cheaper than an engine swap

 

[stinka]

There u go

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.co.uk/viewitem?itemId=181011067168&kw=181011067168

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

That would sort out the Glow plug issue, but I would still not know why she is re-cycling so much engine oil.

I would like to sort that out as well, since she keeps catching me out, and running low, 2 x 100 mile trips, and she went from full to off the bottom of the dip stick with out me realising. The problem is, My wife's father is in Hospital 50 odd miles away, and when we get a call to go up there, the last thing on your mind is remembering to check the oil, as happened the last time.

That is a great price though.. Thanks..

 

[stinka]

Ah ok, forgot about the oil issues from earlier in thread

Could be turbo if its that bad, or cracked piston, doubt its just worn rings. Have u got oil in the intercooler ? I'm thinking you might see something obvious by removing the head

But if its your daily driver I guess u gotta run it at mo

 

[wildbri]

Hi just checking my glow plugs with lumpy running, two not working so decided to take them out for replacment....... guess what? no3 glow plug snapped off! bugger what do I do now, could run on three as testing only two are working anyway but what about the hole where the plug should be? will that be open to the cylinder? or will it run like yours? regards bri

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

Ohhh nooo...

I have no idea on the answer... Hopefully someone with more experience can help.

Purely guessing though, that since the bottom of the glow pug is still "Plugging" the hole up, then it should be OK. I would be concerned if it started to undo, and then snapped, but if it just snapped off at the top before any movement, then see how you go. I presume the worst that can happen is the cylinder pressure blows it out, but then you are most of the way to a fix...:lol

 

[wildbri]

thanks Clive for your prompt reply, just off to the factors to buy one glow, not taking a chanch on breaking the two that are working, will call in my mates garage first and seek advice and maybe borrow an extractor. regards bri.

 

[makeitfit]

Ah ok, forgot about the oil issues from earlier in thread

Could be turbo if its that bad, or cracked piston, doubt its just worn rings. Have u got oil in the intercooler ? I'm thinking you might see something obvious by removing the head

But if its your daily driver I guess u gotta run it at mo

Could be worth doing a compression test along with a visual on the turbo

 

[macabethiel]

Not sure that is do-able... and definitely not do-able by me, as my welding skills or equipment (welding:augie) are not that good.

It is snapped flush with the head, nothing sticking up above it at all, and whoever drilled it out, it looks like they went out almost to the thread, as the ones that are in there, look not much bigger than the hole. I poked a piece of wire down it, and I think they have drilled in about 15 to 20mm.

Where I work this sort of problem is a regular issue we pay a local diesel specialist to come -they do a mobile repair service and remove glow plugs and injectors mostly w without head removal.

 

[wildbri]

I had been waiting for a nice dry day for some time so I could do this job. Nice walk along the river to my friendly back street garage who I now call my friend. Showed him my broken glow plug, just leave it the terrano will run with three he then went to his box and gave me a glow plug that he had removed from his own terrano, he had recently changed purly on age. Met a friend at the garage and he gave me a lift home so I was able to essemble the car and test it just has it go dark


So fixed the car at no expence, had a nice walk and met an old friend.......... sometimes things go from bad to better all in an afternoon.

Regards. Bri

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

Could be worth doing a compression test along with a visual on the turbo

I did a visual on the Turbo, and as far as I know, it is perfect, there is absolutely no play at all, and it spins freely... When I disconnected the crankcase breather pipe, installing a crankcase filter on the engine side and blocking off the feed to the turbo, the oil in the turbo went away, but the engine bay became nicely lubricated from all the oil blowing out the crankcase filter... along with the suspension, windscreen, driveway, surrounding roads.... Good news is, I should not suffer with any rust at the front end..

I was going to do a compression test, but then discovered that my "Petrol" compression tester is not up to the job :doh, and after seeing and reading the issues with removing the glowplugs, along with not having the tools to remove the injectors, I chickened out...:bow

I was going to wait until the bank account has a few pennies in it, and see about finding a diesel specialist who might be happy to have a quick once over of it, but can't find anyone round this way who can recommend one yet.

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

I had been waiting for a nice dry day for some time so I could do this job. Nice walk along the river to my friendly back street garage who I now call my friend. Showed him my broken glow plug, just leave it the terrano will run with three he then went to his box and gave me a glow plug that he had removed from his own terrano, he had recently changed purly on age. Met a friend at the garage and he gave me a lift home so I was able to essemble the car and test it just has it go dark


So fixed the car at no expence, had a nice walk and met an old friend.......... sometimes things go from bad to better all in an afternoon.

Regards. Bri

That was a result... Time to push your luck and go and do the lottery..